Game Critics Awards Announced

In case you haven’t seen this yet, the E3 2007 Game Critics Award winners were released earlier today. For those of you unfamiliar with the Game Critics, it’s a collection of independent journalists that cover the videogame industry. And, in their words:

“These awards recognize the games that will shape the future of interactive entertainment, as demonstrated via hands-on playable form at the 2007 E3 Media and Business Summit”

We here at SCEA wanted to extend a quick congrats to all those nominated, especially the people behind the PlayStation games that were recognized this year; in particular, the teams at Media Molecule for Little Big Planet which won “Best Original Game” and at Guerilla Games for Killzone 2 which earned “Special Commendation for Graphics.” Congratulations all!

I think that the best games for the PS3, for the time being, are bound to be their 1st/2nd party (yes, that realm does exist, it’s like Naughty Dog, or Insomniac, who aren’t Sony companies, but they work exclusively with Sony, who publishes their games) and it will remain that way for a bit now. All the 3rd party community wants is large install bases right off the bat, and the ability to lower the standards of what video games have become, just to turn a sizable profit. The Wii provides a perfect environment for these money suckers to thrive. It’s easy, it’s quick, and it will turn a buck because it’s not appealing to hardcore gamers, who have fueled their fates before. It’s like walking a school of blind kids into oncoming traffic. It’s not a good idea, in any sense of the word, but hey, if it gets stuff done? That then becomes their niche’.

Sony is striving to do what the Playstation brand has always done, which is bring compelling, original IP’s, which are accessible to all ages, but are intended for GAMERS. Which, the last time I checked, is what we are, right? When it comes to their 3rd party games, Sony gave out their Playstation Edge dev tools, yet, no one commented on how good that was, that Sony stepped up, and did that for them, to improve their games on another platform. The current problem Sony faces, is a redundant one. Bigger user base = more development time allotted and more focus on said console, but bigger better games that were built with focus in the first place = rapidly expanding user base. See what I’m saying? Basically, they need high quality titles to build this user base that the developers want so badly before they make higher quality titles on the PS3. Which is like taking one step forward, and then two back. It’s just a bad idea.

Oh, and as far as Microsoft stands? I don’t trust their hardware, sheesh, THEY don’t trust their hardware. Their games may look nice, but it’s always a surface appearance. Having owned one, and knowing the pain of the RROD, and knowing over 5 people who have gone through multiple units, all that jazz about the 360 is deflated because most of the time, I cannot even play the games the machine was intended for, due to hardware failure. And after seeing most of their E3 lineup (Halo 3, Bioshock, Mass Effect) I was not that impressed with their graphics. Compare that with the second gen PS3 titles, like Uncharted, Killzone2, MGS4, and even Ratchet and Clank F:TOD, I saw a completely definite difference, the biggest being that PS3 games look a lot more stunning, both graphics, and gameplay style. Instead of just another generic FPS (this ones got fun physics!!) you get Killzone2, a game that is just about on par with a CG render trailer from 2 years earlier. The 360 cannot even begin to compare to that. The lighting, physics, gameplay, every thing down to the dirt details on the ground breath the essence of next gen gaming. And where else can you get such a defiantly breathtaking experience?

Oh, and one more minor detail, about the comparison of 360 games to PS3 games. Think about how the 360’s now 3rd generation of games looks worse than the just coming into 2nd gen PS3 games. Think about that pattern…

Simple easy solution to the problem. Do not buy those games. Maybe these 3rd party developers and publishers will get the point after a while that people after making such a large investment to not support rehashed BS ports.

Its nice to see that the PS3 is still fighting for the number 1 spot on Amazon as the best seller under the video games category. The Wii and PS3 continue to switch roles week after the other ever since the price drop Sony made on the 60GB model. I hope this whole 80GB strategy doesn’t mess things up….

LIttleBigPlanet is a revelation. it will set the standard for what user created content should really be like on consoles. I guarantee it. Let Phill harrison know this to and the developers at media molecule. Omg wait they knew this from the beginning they knew this before the game was even announced. :) lbp for the win

Like I said on Guerrilla´s Dev Post, Killzone 2 is (to me) looking like the trailer we saw from the polygon count perspective.

Now they need to go up with the fire effects and the texture.

Honestly, I thought it was a bad move to release that first ugly screenshot. There were tons better than that.

And let´s see how developers see the fact that they are going to need more than one disk to fit the data.

It is not that they can´t do that. Think apart from the thing that the user need to switch disks (I like my wireless controller and I don´t want to get up from the bed. Period).

You also need to think that for the developer it means twice (at least) the time to make the game ready (recording the disk) also there are cost with the label and stuff. There are little maybe, but there are costs.

I’m agreeing with everyone disapointed in the PS3 3rd party games. Sony needs to get after them a lot more…..whoever is in charge of 3rd party relations needs to get working harder.

The three biggest selling games of the year will be Halo 3, Madden 08 and GTA IV. 2 of them will be on the PS3, but they will be better on the 360. Kinda sad when the ‘weaker’ system gets the better versions of third party games.

Not really sure that bragging about a two games that are not even out yet is not even a big deal. And i don’t think that killzone 2 looks like the CGI trailer and it pretty abvious that game still needs a lot of work i doubt it will look any better then what we have seen. Do get me wrong it looks good and am looking foward to playing it.

More 3rd party demos like this would be great. I played GRAW 2 on the 360, and I’m eager to see how it is on the PS3. I’m so taking Rainbow Six Vegas back by the way because of how low class it looks compared to the 360 version. Hope GRAW 2 doesn’t disappoint.

Votzroth
As 40 cal said the GPU’s can’t be compared wtih numbers, and adding to that, the Xbox 360 has 512 shared RAM with the whole system, the PS3 has 2x 256 RAM pools shared with 1/2 the system each.

Rumble Sixaxis in the hands of a select few developers…??? Seems like it. Great news! Glad to see that its finally being finalized of us PS3 gamers to enjoy games with motion sensing accompanied by the rumble feature.

Seems like we’ll have to wait until September to get some Lair action. Hopefully with this delay, they will release a demo in the time remaining before 9/4/07. I will continue playing the Heavenly Sword demo. :-) Please don’t tell me I’m the only one still playing it, even though its short.? LOL!

To the people thinking Sony aren’t trying to obtain third party exclusives… This is what i read on PS3forums.com. It’s not the first time i read or heard such rumours;

Rumor 1: Sony has made a deal to secure FFXIII and Vs.XIII’s exclusivity.

I heard this rumor back in March when the SCE France president mentioned that FFXIII’s exclusivity was “under discussion”. Well, my sources told me that “under discussion” meant that Sony was making Square an offer to keep the game on their platform, and their platform only. A few months later SE stated that no FF games would be hitting the 360, which basically confirms that the deal with Sony has probably gone through. I am not sure as to what extent the deal declares exclusivity, but I know that Sony has done something to keep it exclusive. However, since there is no official light shed on this there is still a chance that a FF game could hit 360, but right now it seems unlikely. Since my sources have never told me if the exclusivity deal went through or not, I cannot be too sure of exclusivity, but since a 360 announcement has not been made, and I did hear that Sony was making SE and offer, I say that it is likely Square took the deal.

Chance of happening: 90%

Rumor 2: Sony has made Capcom an offer to make a PS3 exclusive.

I heard this from one of my most reliable sources (never been wrong) in July, that SCE President and CEO Kaz Harai has paid Capcom a visit and made them an offer to develop a game exclusively for the PS3. The game is said to take full advantage of the PS3’s standard HDD, BR drive, and of course, the complicated but powerful cell broadband engine. I am not sure if the game is a sequel or spin-off to a long standing Capcom franchise or if it is a whole new IP, but I can tell you that they are definitely working on something for Sony that takes full advantage of the PS3 hardware. July’s issue of EGM even sheds light on the rumor briefly so I think it is safe to assure that this rumor is pretty likely. I am guessing that Sony is probably funding development. Keep an eye out for the game, we should be seeing it sometime in the future.

Chance of happening: 99%

Rumor 3: Part of Sony and Epic’s UE3 contract specifies that Epic will be developing a new IP exclusively for the PS3 under SCE.

This rumor seems pretty likely, Sony even mentioned at their press conference that the contract they had to get UE3 optimized for PS3 was “multistage” and the folks on the 1up show even mentioned that they had heard that part of the contract with Sony was for a new PS3 IP. The source on this one is kind of iffy, but I trust him enough to report this, plus I think it is even more likely to happen now that 1up has also mentioned it. in short, Epic will be developing a new IP exclusively for PS3 at some point. I do not know when they will start developing it or what it is, but I know that it will be published by Sony and it will be exclusive to PS3.

Chance of Happening: 92%

Rumor 4: Sony will be publishing a game by Bioware for the PS3.

For my final Rumor of this issue, I will be talking about what I have heard about Bioware’s next console game. Apparently Bioware has agreed to develop a new exclusive IP for the PS3 under Sony. The source on this one is right most of the time, so I can see the reliability in this one. Plus, I believe the president of Bioware already let it slip that they were working on a PS3 game. Plus, once again the pages of EGM have also shed light on this rumor, so believe what you want. All I know is that the game is a new IP exclusive to PS3, and publishes by SCE. Bioware is an independent 3rd party dev that is known to work closely with hardware manufacturers, similarly to Epic. I say this one is pretty likely, especially since the president of Bioware already mentioned a PS3 game.

Chance of Happening: 80%

I hope you guys enjoyed this little tidbit of rumors, I am positive there are more rumors to come, so keep your ears open. I will be doing more issues of Rumor Watch as I hear more. Look out for me on the PS3 forums and you just might get an early glimpse of the next issue. But for now, this is all I have heard.

Stay sharp PS3 forums,
DevilWillcry

Note: I am not an insider myself, I do not even work in the gaming industry, but several of my close friends do, and they also happen to have big mouths, so take that as you will. Most of the “chance of happening” percentages are based on my opinion of the facts we have and what I have heard.

Keep in mind, how Sony obtained MGS4 exclusive, the next great Rockstar franchise and the Heavy Rain game from Quantic Dreams. I wouldn’t be surprised if they are true.

First, when I called the 360 the weaker system, notice I put the word in quotes. I did that to show how it supposed to be the weaker system according to the folks here. But judging from the games, it’s really hard to tell the PS3 is really any more powerful at all.

Second, rumors are nice and all. But until I hear announcements about something (ANYTHING) being exclusive for the PS3, I’m just assuming now that there is no such thing as PS3 third party exclusives anymore. I’m still not convinced about MGS4 going to the 360 sometime in the next couple years or so.

For one my point for it has nothing and i mean nothing to do with fanboy BS. I love games it doesn’t matter what system it’s on for one. And to explain what i mean is that both xbox360 and the PS3 have there highs and there lows just like a lot of developers have been telling everyone. The PS3’s highs are it’s cell CPU and Blu-Ray. Xbox360 highs are it’s GPU and RAMM. That alone should explain about oblivion the game looks the same on both but the load times are a little better on the PS3. It is what it is 40cal. this isn’t a discussing about what system is better because in my eyes xbox360 and the PS3 and both great systems the only diffrence is the PS3 is lagging behind and hopefully when it does catch up enough us gamers of PS3 and xbox360 are in for a treat with great games and that is no BS.

93 en some more guys, that Ram story( the xbox360 has 512Mb of GDDR3 Ram and the PS3 has 256 GDDR3 Ram) is the greatest mistake everybody is making.

The Xbox360 has only 512 GDDR3 Ram but the PS3 has the much faster and more advanced 256MB XDR Ram.
And 256 GDDR3 Ram. Both parts of the diverend Rams are accecable for both the RSX and the Cell wen needed.

That wole Ram story is the greatest mistake all the xbots are making.
The more advanced and faster XDR Ram will be making the difference, and the bandwith off the PS3 is also better and better to use for both the RSX and the Cell. The 360 has the problem that the bandwith is being used for the CPU and the GPU back and forward, to send data from de CPU to the GPU and than back again. By the PS3 its a oneway street from the Cell to the RSX and than to the output

The true is that the hardware of the PS3 is better in performance and more advanced than the hardware of the 360.